| Feminism & Women’s Struggle |
Adah’s life is shaped by the limitations imposed on her gender. She constantly resists these limits to assert her independence. |
| Racism & Immigration |
In Britain, she is treated as a second-class citizen—discriminated against because of her race and immigrant status. |
| Patriarchy & Male Domination |
Francis and other men in the novel reflect how African societies limit women’s freedom. |
| Poverty & Survival |
Adah struggles to feed her family, find housing, and survive, often working under terrible conditions. |
| Education & Empowerment |
Education gives Adah power. Her desire to learn and write sets her apart from the submissive roles expected of her. |
| Identity & Self-Discovery |
Adah learns to define herself on her own terms, not as someone’s daughter, wife, or immigrant—but as a woman, a writer, and a mother. |
